Following the announcement that John Cridland has been appointed to lead a review of the State Pension Age, enei chief executive Denise Keating comments.

“Raising the State Pension Age appears to be an inevitable and necessary evil due to the scheme being unable to sustain an ageing population.  It is true that many people are living and being healthier for longer.  However, there is a clear case of conflicting priorities, the writing is on the wall for the younger generation who, due to the increased use of technology and their love of fast food and fizzy drinks, are being dubbed the blind, deaf generation of the future with a high risk of Type 2 diabetes in their 20’s and 30’s.  Therefore, if this situation continues, sadly, many will not reach the sort of ages the government is talking about.

“Another real challenge for Government and employers will be to ensure that workers are still able to access fulfilling and worthwhile employment as they enter the second half of their working lives, with many over 50s already reporting a lack of progression opportunities and training. The removal of the DRA may prevent compulsory retirement, but regardless of whether, as speculated, the State Pension Age rises to 75 for today’s young employees, employers need to look carefully at their workforce strategies to eliminate the subtler biases and barriers faced by older employees. And who is actually looking at the future world of work with regard to the impact of technology and more robots being employed to do many of today’s jobs?”